CHALLENGES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE #2
By David Riggs
Intro.
A. Usually young people enjoy a challenge.
1. In any type of game or sport, young people become very
competitive.
2. Put before young people a challenge and you have an
incentive to move them.
B. In our first lesson, we placed before young people the
challenges of respecting authority, becoming responsible, and
gaining wisdom--especially spiritual wisdom.
1. In this lesson we continue with more challenges for
young people.
I. THE CHALLENGE OF GAINING EXPERIENCE.
A. There are some things we cannot learn except through
experience. It is called, "the school of hard knocks."
1. Mark Twain said, "A cat that sits on a hot stove will
learn to not sit on a hot stove anymore."
a. That cat will probably not sit on any stoves
anymore.
2. Young people will have manifold diverse experiences in
life.
a. We encourage you to walk with God in all of them.
Prov. 3:5-10; James 4:8
B. We do not need to learn everything by actual experience; we
can learn by the experiences of others.
1. For example, the writer of Eccl. tried to find happiness
by experiencing various things of life and concluded in
the end that they were all vain.
a. One of his often repeated statements is, "All is
vanity and grasping for the wind." Eccl. 2:1-2, 10-
11, 17
b. One young man said he wanted to enjoy all those
things before obeying God. He missed the very
point the writer of Eccl. was trying to make. He
wrote those things to spare people from the misery,
heartache, and the foolishness of following such a
course.
2. Young people, listen to the counsel of others who have
gleaned from years of experience. They can encourage
you in things that are wise and profitable.
a. It is exceedingly wise for young people to listen to
sound advice and instruction. Prov. 1:5; 9:9; 10:17;
12:15; 19:20-21; 20:5
b. Listen to Mom and Dad and obey them; they love
you and earnestly and sincerely seek your good as
do no others. Prov. 2:1-5
II. THE CHALLENGE OF REJECTING WORLDLINESS.
A. Young people should be happy and enjoy life.
1. Good, clean fun and happiness are an important part of
youth.
2. God wants young people to enjoy their youth, and
remembering Him while enjoying it. Eccl. 11:9-12:1
a. Notice the three "R" words in these verses.
(1) "Rejoice" -- 11:9 -- be happy, enjoy life.
(2) "Remove" -- 11:10 -- remove sorrow, remove
evil from your life.
(3) "Remember" -- 12:1 -- always remember
God. Prov. 3:5-6
B. It is a great challenge for youth people to live in the world,
but not be of the world. John 15:19; 17:14-16
1. Before young people is the challenge to stand opposed to
immorality, drinking, drugs, youthful lusts, profanity, and
dishonesty.
2. We encourage our young people to choose good
companionships, set your affections on things above, and
avoid the pitfalls of Satan. I Cor. 15:33; Col. 3:2; 1 Pet.
5:8
3. The way to be transformed from the world is by
renewing of your mind. Rom. 12:1
4. We hope you will learn to love the world less and less,
but the Lord more and more. This will make for a happy
life. 1 Pet. 1:8
III. THE CHALLENGE OF GROWING SPIRITUALLY.
A. Young people, we hope that in all your endeavors in life you
won't make the mistake of neglecting you spiritual growth.
1. The kingdom of God must come first--before all other
activities.
a. Develop good study habits of God's word. Work on
you Bible lessons. 2 Tim. 2:15
b. Don't forget to pray always. 1 Thess. 5:16-18
c. Keep yourself pure. 2 Tim. 2:22
(1) One young man said he wanted to marry a
virgin, and was keeping himself pure because
that special one had the right to expect the
same of him.
B. Seek to grow into a mature Christian that you might go to
heaven in the end.
1. One must sow to the Spirit to obtain heaven. Gal. 6:8
2. It matters not what else you do in life, if you miss heaven
you have been a complete failure.
a. You might gather about you great riches and fame
and leave thousands of friends to mourn your
departing, but if you are not ready for heaven you
have been a miserable failure.
b. On the other hand, you may die in a charity home
for the poor and be buried in a potter's field without
a single friend to mourn, but if you receive heaven,
your life was a marvelous success.
3. You can't afford to miss heaven; for, if you miss it, you
miss all.
a. It is the place of eternal rest. Heb. 4:9-11
b. Sickness, pain and death will not be known there.
Rev. 21:4
c. It is an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and
that fadeth not away. 1 Pet. 1:4
d. It is that city built by the living God. Heb. 11:10
4. You don't have to miss heaven.
a. Humbly submit yourself to the will of God. Matt.
7:21
b. Let His word guide you in all things. 2 Tim. 3:15
c. Let no man beguile you of your reward. Col. 2:18
d. Overcome temptations. James 1:12
e. Suffer for His cause with rejoicing. Matt. 5:11-12
5. If you do these things, heaven will be yours someday for
the God of heaven who cannot lie has promised it.
Concl.
A. Thus, young people, we place before you these great
challenges: respecting authority, becoming responsible,
obtaining wisdom, gaining experience, rejecting worldliness,
and growing spiritually.
1. We hope that you will put your trust in God and rise up
to meet all these challenges.
2. By meeting them, you can make for yourself a happy and
successful life here on earth, and in the world to come,
eternal life.
B. A great challenge before our young people is that of obeying
the gospel and becoming a Christian.
1. It is right to become a Christian and wrong not to.
a. Truly, it is wise and right to become a Christian and
most wrong and foolish not to become one.
b. One who fears God, obeys Christ, wins others, and
diligently prepares himself for heaven is doing right,
and the one who does not prepare himself is doing
wrong.
c. Will you not become a Christian by obeying the
gospel today?
d. It is right to do it and wrong not to!